Printing machinery.



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M. A. McKEE.

PRINTING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1910 6 SHEETS-SHEET M. A. McKEE.

PRINTING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 19:0.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mmw,

M. A. IVICKEE.

PRlNTlNG MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. WW.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wnea J66.-

M. A. IVlcKEE.

PRINTING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1910.

L116QU Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- M. A. McKEE.

PRINTING MACHINERY. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1910.

mmww Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

UFFTFMW MILTON MQKEE, 01F WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MEETS, T0 C. B. COTTRELL & SONS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. 1., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PRINTING MACHINERY.

nieaeae.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nee. it, We;

Application filed .1 uly a 1916. serial No. 571,029.

' newand useful Improvements in Printing Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in printing machinery and is more particularly directed to improvements'in multi-,

color printing presses. This invention has for its objects,first:

I to provide a machine in which the plate cylinders are arranged around the upper side of the impression cylinder and novel means are provided for feeding the sheets to and transferring them from the under side of the impression cylinder. Second: to provide a driving means of novel construction for the inking mechanism which shall be independent of the means for driving the printing mechanism, which will permit the inking mechanisms to be moved into and out of their operative positions without dis-; turbing their driving means. Third: to provide certain improvements in the construction, form and arrangement ofthe several parts of the machine whereby the output is facilitated and the character of the work produced thereby is materially ifnproved and in which access to the several parts may be readily obtained without destroying the accurate adjustment of the said parts, one with respect to another.

A practical embodiment of this invention is represented in the r accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of that part of a four-color printing press embodying the invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section showlng more clearly the driving connection between the several parts, Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal vertlcal section showing more clearly the printing mechanisms, each of the inking mechanisms being shown in full lines in one position,

and in dotted lines in another position, Fig. 3" is a detail View of the rotary driving means, Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal vertical section showing more clearly the de vices for ducking an ink roll of one of two ser es of ink transfer rolls for each plate cyllnder of a multi-color printing press, the impression cylinder, plate cylinders, ink

cylinders and the rolls, being shown in diagram, Fig. 5 is a detail side view of the means for manually moving the plate cylinders toward and away from the impresslon cyllnder, without disturbing the adustment of the plate cylinders with respect to the impression cylinder, Fig. 6 is a sectlon taken in the plane of the line A-A of Flg. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 7 is a section taken in the planeof the line ]B--B of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 8 is a detail side view partly in section showing the independent driving means for the inking mechanisms, and Fig. 9 is a detail top plan view partly in section of the same.

The main frame of the machine is denoted by 1, in which frame are mounted the shafts 2, 3, 4, 5, of the plate cylinders 63, 7, 8, 9, and the shaft 10 of the impression cylinder 11. The impression cylinder 11 may be pro vided with a set of grippers 12 arranged to receive the sheets from the grippers 13 of a transfer cylinder 14:. This transfer cylinder is so situated with respect to the impression cylinder 11 that the sheets as they are fed from the table 15 are transferred from the grippers 13 to the grippers 12 ,when the grippers 12 are coming up from their lowermost position.

A sheet delivery device 16 of any well known or approved form is provided, to which device the sheets are delivered from the impression cylinder after they have been printed.

Two transfer reels 17, 18, are located underneath the impression cylinder 11 and the reel 17 is provided with a set of grippers 19 arranged to coact with the grippers 12 on the impression cylinder for receiving the sheet therefrom and transferring the sheets to a set of grippers 20 on the reel 18, from which grippers 20 the sheets are delivered to the delivery carrier 16.

' The driving mechanism for the plate and the following connection: A cross shaft 24 mounted in the main frame 1 is driven from the shaft 23 of the motor 22 through a flexible connection 25. This shaft 24 is provided -with a pinion 26 which meshes with a spur on the impression cylinder shaft 10, is

' With the gear 32 loose on the impression cyland 70, 71, are interposed between the plate".

drivenby the driven from the gear 29 through the gear 32 and a gear 34. This gear 34 is fixed on the plate cylinder shaft 2 and its face is sufiiciently wide to mesh with both the gears 32 and 29. The spur gear 30 is fixed to the shaft of the delivery transfer reel 18.

Movement is imparted to thedelivery transfer reel 17 by providing its shaft with a spur gear 32* wh1ch meshes with a spur gear 29* fixed on the impression cylinder shaft 10. Movement is imparted .to the shaft feed transfer cylinder 14 by providing its shaft with a spur gear 33 which meshes with the gear 32 loose on the impression cylinder shaft 10, but it is made to rotate with the cylinder by the gear 34 which gear meshes with both the gears 32 and 29*, as above set forth. The plate cylinder shafts 3, 4, 5, have spur gears 35, 36, 37, which mesh inder shaft 10, hence the plate cylinders 6, 7, 8 and 9 are driven by the gear 29 through the gear 32 and their respective gears 34, 35, 36, 37, while the impression cylinder 11 is gear 29 through the gears 32, 34 and 29*.

Two supplemental frames 38, 39, are mounted upon the main frame'l' of the machine, the supplemental frame 38 forming. a support for the inking mechanisms 40, 41, for the plate cylinders 6, 7, and the supplemental frame 39 forming a support for theinking mechanisms 42, 43, for the plate cyl- .inders 8, 9. The ink fountains for the several plate cylinders are denoted by 44, 45, 46, 47. The ink cylinders are denoted by 48, 49, 50, 51, and their respective ductor rolls by 52, 53, 54,-;55. The ink is transferred-to the cylinders 48,49, 50, 51, from the ductor rolls 52, 53, 54, 55,-ithrough groups of ink transfer rolls 56, '57, 58, 59. The ink cylinders are further providedwith working u rolls 60, 61, 62,- 63. Two sets of ink trans er rolls 64, 65, are interposed between the plate cylinder 6 and ink cylinder 48 and similarly sets of transfer rolls 66, 67, 68, 69;

cylinders 7, ,8, 9, and their ink cylinders 49, 50, 51.

To cause the fresh supply of ink from the fountain, due to the intermittent movement of the ductor rolls, to be de osited first onto thesecond, series of trans er rolls between each plate cylinder and ink cylinder, one of the transfer rolls'of the first series between each of the plate cylinders and its ink cylinder, is arranged to be automatically moved out of contact with its ink cylinder at predetermined intervals. These movable ink transfer rolls are denoted by 72, 73, 74, 75, and are" connected with the first series 64, 66, 68, and 70, of the transfer rolls between the plate cylinders and their ink cylinders. These movable rolls are controlled by cams 76, 77, 78, 79, on su plemental cam shafts 180, 81, 82, 83, throug rocking arms 84, 85,

86, 87, and connecting rods 88, 89, 90, 91.

The supplemental frame which carries the inking mechanisms for the plate cylinders 6 and 7 maybe moved inwardly and outwardly by providing the main frame with a rack 92 which meshes with a pinion 93 on a cross shaft 94 .mounted in the supplemental .frame 38, which shaft is provided with a suitable hand wheel 95. Similarly, the su plemental frame 39, which carries the in ing mechanisms for the plate cylinders 8 and 9, may be moved inwardly and outwardly by providing the main frame 1, with a rack 96 which meshes with a pinion 97 on a cross shaft 98 mounted in the supplemental frame 39, which shaft 98 is provided with. a hand wheel 99. These supplemental frames 38, 39, may be locked in their position by providmg pawls 95*, 99*, which engage the pinions 93, 97, respectively.

The drive for the inkingmechanisms is separate from the drive for the printing mechanism and is constructed, arranged and operated as follows :The shaft 24. hereinabove referred to, has a bevel gear driving connection 106, 107, with an up-' wardly extending shaft 108, the upper end of which'shaft 108 has a bevel gear driving connection 109, 110, with a divided shaft 111, 112, 113. The middle section 111 of the divided shaft is stationary but the sections 112, 113, of the said shaft may be moved longitudinally without disconnecting them from the middle section 111 thus permitting the supplemental frames 38, 39, to be moved inwardly and outwardly without disconnecting the inking mechanisms from their driving means. The Shaft section 112 has a bevel gear driving connection 114, 115, with a cross shaft 116, which cross shaft has a meaaee a spur gear 123 which meshes with a spur gear 124, on the shaft of the ink cylinder 50 and spur gear 125 on the shaft of the ink cylinder 51. i

Rotary movement is iinparted to the fountain rolls 126, 127, 128, 129, as follows :The divided shaft section 112 is provided with a geared driving connection 130, 131, with a shaft 132, which shaft has a worm and gear connection 133, 134, with the shaft-of the fountain roll 126 and a worm and gear connection 135, 136, with the shaft of the fountain roll 127. Similarly, the divided shaft section 113 is provided with a geared driving connection 137, 138, with ashaft 139, which shaft has a worm gear connection 140, 141, with the shaft of the fountain roll 128 and with a worm and gear connection 142, 143, with the shaft of the fountain roll 129. The particular form of drive for these fountain rolls so as to obtain a continuous or intermittent feed or a combination of the two, forms no part of this invention and will, therefore, not be described in detail herein, it being sufficient for the purposes of this invention, that any means may be employed for imparting any of said movements to the fountain rolls.

The means for throwing the plate cylinders into and out of their printing position, is constructed, arranged and operated as follows :Asthis means is the same for all of the plate cylinders, I will describe the same only in connection with one of them, viz. the plate cylinder 8. The shaft 4 is mounted at its ends in bearings 144 vertically adjustable in boxes 145. A spring 146 is in terposed between the bottom of the bearing 144 and the bottom of a recess 147, which spring is of suflicient tension to move the bearing and thereby the shaft 4 outwardly when restraining pressure on the bearing is released. A wedge 148 is interposed be tween the bottom of the bearing 144 and the bottom of the box 145, which wedge may be adjusted to adjust the limit of inward movement of the plate cylinder. ,This movement of the wedge is provided for by an adjusting screw 149. The bearing 144 is forced down againstthe wedge 148 and against the tension of the spring 146 by the following manually operated means:A hand shaft 150 has a worm 151 thereon which meshes with a gear 152 slidably keyed to a shaft 153 having a screw threaded portion 154 engaging the cap 155 of the box. The inner end of this shaft 153 may be provided With a Wearing plate 156 engaging the to of the bearing 144. A crank handle 15 is provided for the shaft 150.

llt is understood that both ends of each of the plate cylinder shafts are provided with the means hereinabove described, said means permitting the easy moving of the gear 167.

A rotary brush 222 is mounted in posiplate cylinders into and out of their printing position without disturbing the adjustment of the cylinders with respect to the impression cylinder when they are in their printing position;

The supplemental cam shafts 80, 81,82, 83. are driven continuously fromv the ink cylinder gears 118, 119, 124, 125, through sets of gears 158, 159, 160'; 117, 162, 163; 123, 165, 166; 167, 168, 169.

Manually operated means are provided for working up; the ink in the several inking devices, as follows: A stud shaft 170 is mounted in the supplemental frame 38, to which stud shaft a handle 171 may be applied for turning the same by hand. This stud shaft is provided with a pinion 172 which meshes with the gear 158. Similarly, a stud shaft 173 is mounted in the supplemental frame 39, to which stud shaft a handle 174 may be applied for turning the same. This stud shaft 17 3.is provided with a pinion 175 which meshes with the spur tion to engage the back of the main sheets as they are fed from the table 15 to the impression cylinder 11 by the feed cylinder 14. This brush 222 serves to brush all foreign matter oil the back of the sheets. This brush 222 is rotated from the spurgear 33 through the intermediate gears 223, 224. A stationary brush 225 is mounted in position to engage the face of the sheets just before they are engaged by the first plate cylinder 6 for the purpose of removing all foreign matter from the face of the sheet, and for the purpose of exhausting the air from under the sheets so that they will be caused to hug the impression cylinder 11 snugly as they are passed beneath the plate cylinders. This arrangement of the brushes 222, 225, serves to cause the sheets to be presented'to the plate cylinders absolutely free from all foreign matter upon both sides of the sheet thereby preventing the battering of the plates on the plate cylinders frequently due to the attachment of some foreign substance to one or both faces of-the sheets. As hereinabove set forth, this brush 225 also serves to exhaust the air from under the sheets on the'impression cylinder, thus permitting a more perfect register thereon.

Some of the other advantages arising from the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts of the press as herein shown and described, are as follows: The plate cylinders are so located that access thereto may be readily obtained so as to secure a very accurate spacing and placing of the plates on the cylinders, the plate cylinders also being located Where ample light may be had. This arrangement of the plate cylinders furthermore permits the ilates to be readily ap p and taken from the cylinders. h1s arrangement also permits the location of all of the ink fountains and ink distrlbutmg mechanisms within a very limited heat zone thereby obviating the necessity of placing one mechanism in one heat zone and another mechanism in another 'heat zone. This arrangement also permits the delivery of the product Withthe printed side up and permits the ready insertion of suitable slip sheet feedin devices Wherever necessary. It also permits ready access to be obtalned to the sheet feeding and delivery mechanisms.

. It is to be understood that where the terms cylinder or reel are used, I intendto cover any operative device for carrying the sheets through the prescribed paths.

Features shown and described but not claimed herein form the subject matter of divisional applications filed and to be filed before this present application issues.

.It is also evident that various changes might be resorted to in the construction,

form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein shown and described, but

What I claim is .1. In a multi-color printing press, an impression cylinder, its plate cylinders arranged around the upper side thereof, means for feeding sheets to the impression cylinder, a sheet delivery device and reels arranged to transfer the sheets from the under side of the impression cylinder to-the sheet delivery device.

3. In a multi-color printing press, an impression cylinder, its plate cylinders arranged around the upper side thereof, means "for feeding sheets to the impression cylinder, a sheetdelivery device and a printed sheet transfer device comprising two reels, one arranged to take the rinted sheet on its upper side. from'theun er side of the impression cylinder and the other arranged to take the sheet-from the first transferreel and deliver it to the sheet delivery device from its upper side, for delivering the printed sheet prlnted side up.

4; In a multi-color printing press, an impression cylinder, its plate cylinders arfor feeding sheets to the under side of the impression cylinder, a sheet delivery device and reels arranged to transfer the sheets from the under side of the impression cylinder to the said sheet delivery device.

5. In a multi-color printing press, an impression cylinder, its late cylinders arranged around the up'ger side thereof, a sheet feed table, means for transferring the sheets therefrom to the under side of the impression cylinder, a sheet delivery device and reels arran ed to transfer the sheets from the under side of the impression cylinder to the said sheet delivery device.

6. In a multi-color printing press, an impression cylinder, its plate 0 linders arranged around the upper si e thereof, a sheet feed cylinder for feedin the sheets to the under slde of the impression cylinder, a sheet delivery device and reels arranged to transfer the sheets from the under slde of the impression cylinder to the sheet delivery device.

7. Ina multi-color printing press, an impression cylinder, its plate cylinders arranged around the upper side thereof, a sheet feed table, a cylinder for transferrin the sheets therefrom to the under side 0 the impression cylinder, a sheet delivery device and reels arranged to transfer the sheets from the under side of the impression cylinder to the sheet delivery device.

' 8. In a multi-color printin press, a main drive shaft, a printing mec anism driven therefrom and a plurallty of inking mechanisms driven from said main drive shaft independently of the printing mechanism.

9. In a multi-color printin press, a main drive shaft, a printing mec anism driven therefrom, a plurality of inking mechanisms driven from the said main drive shaft independently of the printin mechanism and means for moving the in 'ng mechanisms into and out of their operative positions without disconnecting them from their driving means.

10. In a multi-color printing press, a main di'ive shaft, impression and plate cylinders driven therefrom, two separate groups of inking mechanisms driven from the said main drive shaft independently of the impression and plate cylinders and means for moving each group of inking mechanisms into and out of its 0 erative osition without disconnecting it rom its riving means.

11. In a multi-color printing press, a main drive shaft, a printing mechanism driven therefrom, a plurality of inking mechanisms, independent means for driving them including a divided shaft having a stationary member in geared connection with the main drive sha and longitudinally movablemembers in geared connection with the lied to ranged around the upper side thereof, means metaee m inking mechanism and means for moving my invention have signed my name in the inking mechanisms and the movable presence of two Witnesses, this fifth day of members of the divided shaft for bringing July, A. D. 1910.

the inking members into and out of their MILTON A. MOKEE. 5 operative positions Without disconnecting Witnesses:

them from the main drive shaft. A. R. STILLMAN,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ETTABEIJLE WOODMANSEE. 

